*[http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections/TitleInfo/221 Yakima Frontier Justice.] Part of "''Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889'' at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)

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**The court procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of Washington Territory. The index has many abstracts that provide names and what is happening in disputes, settlements in civil and criminal cases as well as probate, equity and admiralty cases.

:*[http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections#RSID:5 Current Collections] at Washington State Digital Archives (Free) Type county name, click '''Search''', then select a collection. Collections were posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page in November, 2013.

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:*[https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&countryId=58 Historical Collections] at FamilySearch.org. (Free) Click "Last Updated." Collections through October 2013 have been posted to the appropriate headings for this Wiki page.

Includes School attendance records 1875-1925; School census records 1894-1925.

Censuses indexed by societies or groups in the area may be more accurate, due to familiarity with local surnames.

Church Records

The information church records provide depends upon the church practices and the record keepers. Records may include names, ages, and dates of events such as baptism, marriage, or burial. See Washington Church Records.

Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) for Yakima County, Washington Genealogy are listed in the FamilySearch catalog. (Press space bar to select town.)

Court Records

Your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can clarify family relationships, places of residence, occupations, and family history. See Washington Court Records for courts used through the years.

Yakima Frontier Justice. Part of "Frontier Justice’’: Guide to the Court Records of Washington Territory, 1853-1889 at Washington State Digital Archives. (Free Index, no images)

The court procedure of Frontier Justice touch nearly all pioneers of Washington Territory. The index has many abstracts that provide names and what is happening in disputes, settlements in civil and criminal cases as well as probate, equity and admiralty cases.

Guardianship

Guardianship of orphans or adults unable to manage their own affairs were handled by the probate and the Federal District courts. See Washington Court Records.

History

Local histories for Yakima County, Washington Genealogy may include biographies, history of churches, schools, local government with names of officials, military information, and more. See Washington Local Histories.

1860s - The first white settlers were cattle ranchers who recognized that the lush grasslands on the stream banks were excellent places to winter their cattle.

1865 - January 21, Yakima County was established.

1870 - Settlers began referring to a small village with two stores as Yakima City.

1885 - By the end of the year, the population of North Yakima had swelled to 1,200 people.

1885 - Paul Schulze, the railroad's land manager, laid out the streets on the rough general plan of his native city, Baden-Baden, Germany. By other accounts, the city was modeled after the plan of Salt Lake City.

1890s - North Yakima, along with the rest of the country, hit hard times, largely because of a series of nationwide financial panics.

1898 - All signs of commercial stagnation and business depression had completely disappeared" in North Yakima.

Maps

This map highlights the county within the state of Washington.
The map soon will have inter-active links.

Migration

Most residents came to Washington from other states or crossed the border from Canada. (See Seattle Passenger Lists for those who came from other countries.) Although few other migration records exist, try:

Military

Museums

Naturalization and Citizenship

Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Washington Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. *Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.

Newspapers

Small town newspapers provide historical content and contain obituaries, birth or death notices, legal notices, and community news, such as visits to or from out-of-town relatives. See Washington Newspapers for tips, resources, and details.

Do a search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog. To select a county in Washington, add a comma, slide way down to the county list, then click Search. (Almost every state seems to have a Washington County)

The Yakima Valley Genealogical Society has a massive collection of obituaries starting from 1860 on, from counties in and around Yakima. They are in the process of putting this collection online. For now, contact the Society at 509-248-1328 or yvgs1901@gmail.com. They have researchers who are willing to do lookups from this collection.

Periodicals

Probate Records

Probate records identify heirs of the decedents, give the (approximate) death dates, and provide specifics about property holdings. The records were kept by the county judge.

These include wills, inheritance records, dockets, and other documents regarding property and estates of individuals who have died. See also Court Records for civil actions involving estates. Also see Washington Probate Records.

School Records

Includes School attendance records 1875-1925; School census records 1894-1925.

Taxation

Washington tax records complement land records and can supplement the years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Washington Taxation.

Vital Records

The county auditors in Washington kept records of birth, marriage, and death. The county clerk has the divorce records - the earliest dates to the present.

Birth

Birth Records reveal

Yes or Maybe ⇒

Y

M

Name of Child

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Birth Date and Place

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Parent's Names

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Mother's Maiden Name

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Parent's Ages

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Parents' State or Country of Birth

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Name of Doctor or Midwife

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In 1891, coroners, physicians, and midwives were to "return" births and deaths to the county auditor. Many went unrecorded. In 1907, the State Center for Health Statistics assumed this responsibility.[6]

Family History Centers

Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.

Libraries

Local public libraries—even smaller ones—often have Unique Genealogical Collections that are not online for the area they serve. Many libraries in Washington have an area dedicated to local history and genealogy.

A library's Unique Collections may include card indexes of local records, newspapers, scrapbooks, genealogy papers, files of a genealogical or historical society, and other unpublished manuscripts.

Museums

Societies

Yakima Valley Genealogical Society

Yakima Valley Genealogical Society This society has a collection of over 18,000 records and books, including a massive obituary collection starting in 1860 for areas in and around Yakima County. Local librarians are willing to help with research and will look up information from their various collections. The site contains a catalog of all their holdings. Contact them by clicking on Contact Us or calling 509-248-1328, email yvgs1901@gmail.com. This Society is located at 1901 South 12th Avenue, Union Gap, Yakima, Washington 98903.

Gerald Shephard - current librarian

Sue Ericksen - Treasurer and President of the Washington State Genealogical Society

Judy Schuster - researcher

LIBRARY HOURS: The library is open from 10:00am to 4:00pm Monday-Saturday. The library is closed on Saturdays in November, December and January; January 1st, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day,Thanksgiving and December 24-25. The library can be opened during closed hours by appointment. Please call several days ahead to make arrangements.